The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-20
SQUIRE PAT WINTERS
MAKES A MISLEADING SPEECH
THAT TESTS THE
Intelligence Of the Magistrates and
Proves Their Ignorance
OF the
FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE
COUNTY,
Back Taxes Exhausted and Future
Collections Already Under
Contract.

The County Court concluded its
session for the April term yesterday
afternoon, and adjourned until July.
The entire day was consumed In dis
posing OF routine bueiness and other
minor matters, no1e of which were
worthy OF special mention, save a
petition from Bridge Commissioner
Cole, asking that committee be ap-
pointed to receive bids on new
bridge across Hstchie river, 800 feet
long and not to exceed $500 in cash,
1t was granted, and the magistrates of
the Third and sixth Districts ma ned
as the committee, with instructions to
report at the July term.
In his speech advocating the build
ing of the Hindman Ferry levee,
Monday, Justice P. NJ. WHITES sub
mitted vast array of figures, intend
ing to establish the fiji aucial ability Of
the county to carry the work through.
The tabular statement represented the
amounts received by Back Tax Callec-
tor @. Westherfnrd on privileges,
railroad bonds and from other soul Ces,
and footed up agland total OF over
$4,000 for three years, beginning in
1884. This sum can only be devoted
to public improvements in the county
and taking up county warrants. Mr..
Winters tiiumphantly referred 10 this
showing ss establishing beyond doubt
that the public treasury was in a
plethoric condition, and the proposed
levee would not deplete it by a large
majority. The speaker did not stop
here, however. He announced that
Mr.. VIZ atherford confidently expected
this year to collect double the amount
Of any previous year, or over $50, 600.
These figures were astonishing to
the opponents Of the measure, and
knocked the wind out OF their sails.
Pat had the figures on them, and
while they remained unchanged in
their convictions could not reply.
Whether it had any material effect on
the succeeding vote or not, cannot, oil
course, be stated. One thing Is Ger.
tain, however, it elated holders OF
county warrants among the magis
trates and others who heard the
speech. After the adj iurnment oil
court Chairman Slaughter was kept
busy the entire afternoon signing the
| warrants, and they were afterwards
presented to the County Trustee for
liquidation. 1t was a sad revelation,
but the custodian OF the public fande
had not one cent that could
bs yielded for that species OF
indebtedness. Yesterday it was the
same way. Warrants calling for
amounts from q few dollars up to 500
we're thrust at Mr.. Harris, with q re-
quest for their face value in cash. One
magistrate, and q leader in the levee
measure, presented warrant Tor $40
"My dear sir" said Mr.. Harris, "if il
only called for 10 cents 1 couldn'l
raise 1t. 1 haven't one cent for tha
purpose" The magistrate was silent
he could not answer, and it wat
enough. He evidently gathered from
bis colleagues speech that the coun.
~ was rolling In wealth, with a still
further increase to mark the present
years collections.
This is the situation: II there is nc
money in the hands OF County Trustee
Harris to take up county warrants
where is II to come from to pay for tine
Hindman Ferry levee? Collections
by Mr.. Weatherford of this class Of
revenue for the past three years have
averaged over $4,000, but it has a.
ready been expended in public i'm
provemens and taking up outsland
irg warrants Other enterprises are
in course of construction and under
contract amounting to nearly, il moi
quite 500, 900, aside from the levee in
qut stion. This will dispose OF Mr.
Westherford's anticipa ed collections
for the present year.
1t was subtle argument and wei
maintained, but the real situation
dawned upon the sarguine msgis
trates when they applied for the hare
cash. The Trustee may have plenty o.
money, but it can't go in that direc
ton. So anxious were the contractors
to secure the work, that they author
'z,d an tent to announce they woulC
not ask for cent OF money for twelve
months, neither would interest be re-
CURED. This was advanced AS an argu
ment in favor of an abundance of q
nances, and it filled up all the crevice
in Mr.. Winters speech. The deciding
vote followed Immediately upon Mr.
Winters call for the previous ques
ton, which pat stop to discussion